


shades

by perfchan



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Drabble, Gen, Happy Birthday Shiro (Voltron), just the team being cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 14:52:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13837089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perfchan/pseuds/perfchan
Summary: The team is on another mission....which happens to coincide with a certain team leader's birthday.





	shades

Shiro lifts a hand to shield against harsh light from a blue-black sun. Not much to see outside of the clearing where they’ve landed---the horizon is far off and masked by thick foliage. He turns back to his team. 

 

“So, what is it  _ exactly _ we’re looking for again?” he asks, more into the comm than for the benefit of his fellow paladins planetside. 

 

The comms crackle in reply, but Coran’s voice is unintelligible. Wonderful. Still, if they have to be on another we-need-this-random-object mission, this isn’t a bad planet for it. So far. The temperature is warm, inviting him to let loose, 

 

Lance is already ahead of him. “Man, this planet is nice, though,” Helmet under his arm, he runs his free hand through his hair, causing it to stick up in little tufts around his forehead. 

 

“All the same, we should stay alert,” Shiro advises. He catches Keith, previously crouched down to poke at some rather squishy looking plant life, straighten up. He blinks guiltily before his features settle into something that could resemble determination, if Shiro didn’t know him better.... Keeping the team on task here might prove difficult. 

 

Pidge clears her throat. “Looks like the crystal is about fifteen clicks southeast.” She crinkles her nose, pinching and spreading her fingers to zoom closer on the screen. “Or northwest? The poles on this planet are a little wonky, but,” 

 

“Whatever the direction, it’s thataway,” Lance summarizes, grabbing Hunk around the arm. “Letssgo!” 

 

They begin the hike at a comfortable pace---Lance crowing and leading the way, trading easy jokes with Hunk. Pidge is not far behind, directing them through the scattered trees. Keith is at Shiro’s side, the two of them bringing up the rear. 

 

Despite his warning to the team, Shiro finds himself relaxing. No one is injured, they’re not hungry or lost, the situation is non-hostile. It’s not everyday that a mission is so pleasant. He opens his helmet and breathes deep the fresh air. Keith copies him, eyes fluttering shut as his shoulders fall back with the exhale. He notices Shiro watching him and shares a small smile. “Not a bad--” 

 

“Nope, un-uh, I did not sign up for creepy death caves,” Hunk protests, voice carrying through the woods. 

 

Shiro sighs a weary response to Keith before turning his attention back to the task at hand. “What about a cave?” he calls, catching up. 

 

Lance has a hand on his chin, leaning over Pidge’s should to view the map. Hunk looks out towards the path ahead, anxious. 

 

“More of a tunnel, actually,” Pidge corrects. She motions as she explains the route. The path they’ve been taking is becoming more rocky and the woods around them are thickening, but there’s an underground waterway that they can follow. It would lead them almost directly towards their destination. 

 

“Sounds good,” Keith says, ready to keep moving. 

 

“If by good you mean a terrible idea and we should definitely not do it, then yeah.” Hunk shifts. “My vote is to stay above ground whenever possible, thank you very much.” 

 

Shiro adopts a calming voice and places a hand on Hunk’s back before making the decision. “We’ll take the most direct route. I don’t think we’ll encounter any problems down there, but if I’m wrong, I know Team Voltron can handle themselves in a fight.” 

 

Keith nods his agreement, a quick jut of his chin, before he leads the way into the mouth of the cave. He’s transformed his bayard; as they proceed deeper, the blade glows against the dark. 

 

“Why am I not surprised that Keith loves caves?” Lance stage whispers to no one in particular. His voice is steady but the beam of light emanating from the wrist of his suit quivers ever-so-slightly. 

 

“I do not!” Keith hisses hotly in return. 

 

“Why are we whispering?” Hunk says, all nerves. “Is there a reason why we’re whispering?” 

 

“Almost there,” Pidge reassures. 

 

Something moves in the shadows. Shiro hesitates, thinking it a trick of the mind, but then it happens again. “Team,” he begins. He tenses, Galra arm held stiffly at his side in a fighting stance. “Let’s keep moving.” 

 

“I saw something,” Keith states, eyes narrowed, voice deadly serious. “This way,” 

 

“Keith,” Shiro protests, but Keith has already slipped further away, fading into the dark. 

 

“Don’t worry, Shiro, I’m covering him,” Lance has his bayard at the ready before Shiro even realizes he’s close behind. 

Shiro follows the sound of their footsteps, the pitch black eating away the modest light from his suit. The path narrows and twists and he’s concentrating on navigating between the rushing water on one side and sharp rocks on the other, when he realizes that he can’t hear his team any longer. He takes a deep breath, steady, okay, 

 

And then. 

 

He’s out of the dark as swiftly as if he was never there in the first place, blinking his surroundings into focus, sky clear and bright overhead. “Lance?” He calls. “Pidge? Hunk? Keith?” 

 

He makes his way further away from the exit of the tunnel, the water that they followed underground gathering into a crystal clear pool. After the cool of the cave, the sun feels even warmer on his skin. A slight breeze rustles alien trees and a plush mossy grass underfoot. A spot of white stands out against the ground. He picks up what appears to be a box. “ _ Open me, _ ” the box reads. 

 

He turns it over, not sure how to follow its direction…. When suddenly the sides collapse, unfolding into a huge banner that suspends itself overhead. Shiro tilts his head to read it, 

 

**“¡¡¡oɹᴉɥS 'ʎɐpɥʇɹᴉq ʎddɐH”**

 

“Shoot,” he can hear Pidge mutter. 

 

“Why is it upside down?” Keith asks, just out of sight. 

 

“Whatever, it’s fine---Happy birthday, Shiro!!!” Lance bursts from the line of trees, all smiles. 

 

“Were you surprised?” Hunk asks, following close behind. 

 

Pidge surreptitiously pulls the banner down to twist it so that it’s facing the right way. “Happy birthday!”  

 

Allura’s voice comes in dazzling and happy through the comms. “Paladins, I see you’ve completed the mission successfully! Coran and I will be joining you in just a tick!” 

 

“There’s plenty of room to land the castle here, but we wanted to surprise you!” Hunk explains. “Thus: The hike. We figured you wouldn’t mind.” 

 

“You were laying it on a little thick, don’t you think buddy?  _ Oh I’m so scared of the creepy cave, _ ” Lance elbows him. “But yeah, we have cake and Coran is hell bent on setting up this weird Altean lawn game that’s basically space croquet only not, and there’s a hammock that’s calling your name, and best of all,” he gestures wildly to the water, “swimming!!!” 

 

Shiro surveys the bright faces looking up at him. “Guys,” he begins, at a loss. 

 

“Happy birthday, Takashi,” Keith says, a light hand on his shoulder. Shiro steadies himself at the touch. He swallows, a smile making its way across his lips. 

 

“Sooooo...let the chillaxin’ begin!” Lance proclaims, pulling out a pair of sunglasses from seemingly thin air. He hands them to Shiro, a mirrored pair of monstrosities already covering his own eyes. One delicately arching brow is hiked up over the frames as if in challenge. 

 

Shiro accepts, the sunglasses transforming the world soft and sepia. He loosens the chest plate of his armor to tug it off, unbuttoning the collar of his suit as well. 

 

It’s only after he’s been soundly beaten in space croquet, laughed too loudly, eaten his fill of cake, and is half asleep in a hammock that he realizes: he never properly thanked his team. But. They know. 

**Author's Note:**

> Let Shiro Rest 2k18!!! 
> 
> I wrote this silly drabble in one sitting, on a whim, to practice with Shiro's voice because I haven't written him too much. Love you Shiro!! Have a happy bday~


End file.
